EDAD 698.01W: METHODOLOGY

COURSE SYLLABUS: Fall 2018

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Instructor: Dr. Julia Ballenger, Professor Office Location: Frank B. Young Education Building Office Hours: Virtual: Monday 4-8 p.m. & Wednesday 4-8 p.m. Office Phone: 936.554.9300 (Cell) Office Fax: N/A University Email: [email protected] Preferred Form of Communication: E-mail Communication Response Time: Within 24 hours, unless extenuating circumstances occur.

COURSE INFORMATION

Materials – Textbooks, Readings, Supplementary Readings

Textbook(s) Required

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. ISBN-13: 978-1433805615

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2017). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE. ISBN-13: 978-1506330204

Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2015). Designing qualitative research (6th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE. ISBN: 978-1452271002

1 Meriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Software Optional

MAXQDA- The student cost for 6 months is $36. This software can be accessed at www.maxqda.com .

Optional Texts and/or Materials (Supplementary materials are included in the course modules.)

Optional Textbook: You may select one of the method books below to purchase. The information in the method book below related to a specific qualitative research design.

. Select one of the following methods book.

 Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research by Johnathan A. Smith, Paul Flowers, and Michael Larkin(2009)  Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods, Robert K. Yin (2018)  Developing a Mixed Methods Proposal: A Practical Guide for Beginning Researchers, Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby, and Paul A. Schults  Action Research: Improving Schools and Empowering Educators (5th ed.). By Craig A. Mertler.  The Descriptive Phenomenological Method in Psychology: A Modified Husserlian Approach, 2009, Amedeo Giorgi  A Concise Introduction to Mixed Methods Research, 2015, John W. Creswell (secondary author)  Understanding Narrative Inquiry, 2016, Jeong-Hee Kim (Secondary authors)  Researching Lived Experience: Human Science for an Action Sensitive Pedagogy (2nd. ed.), 2015, Max van Manen

Course Description This is a research tools course using the foundation of qualitative research (approaches of critical ethnography, phenomenology, case study, grounded theory, and defining cultural themes and patterns) as a basis of all thick description. This course content is based on the sociological/anthropological roots of qualitative research. These sociological/anthropological perspectives will assist students in understanding the different research paradigms that serve as the foundation for the various qualitative research methods.

Students are encouraged to develop solid conceptual frameworks from the social sciences and to formulate appropriate research questions based on those

2 frameworks. The development of doctoral proposals within the qualitative methodology is of major concern, as is the development of qualitative methodology as a practical method of knowing and understanding social phenomenon.

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Student Learning Outcomes

4 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Design and conduct a qualitative research study 2. Deconstruct the characteristics of qualitative research. 3. Critique qualitative research articles comprised of different approaches. 4. Collect qualitative data in the natural setting via multiple collection tools. 5. Simultaneously employ several methods of and analyzing qualitative data. 6. Articulate and follow ethical principles when conducting qualitative research. 7. Conduct research in the natural setting using one of the five qualitative research approaches and research designs.

Course Learning Outcomes and Student Learning Outcomes—SLOs

CLO 1. Design and construct a Qualitative Research Study, which will result in a paper consisting of the following chapters: Introduction to the Study, Literature Review, Methods (i.e., research design, rationale, data collection procedures, and data analysis technique), Findings, Discussions, Recommendations for Further Research, and Summary.

At the completion of this module, the students will be able to:

SLO 1.1. Write an Introduction to the Study that will include the background of the study, research problem, research purpose, research questions, and significance of the study. SLO 1.2. Write a Literature Review that will consist of a synthesis of the related literature, a conceptual framework, and the conclusion (identify gaps in the research and tell how this study will add to the knowledge base). SLO 1.3. Write a Methods Chapter that will include the research design, rationale for selecting the research design to answer the research questions and accomplish the purpose of the study, role of the researcher, ethical considerations, trustworthiness, triangulation, credibility, transferability, dependability, conformability, and step- by-step procedures for collecting and analyzing the data. SLO 1.4. Compose the Findings Chapter that will include the presentation of the data themes using quotations from the transcript to

5 provide rich, thick descriptions. Organize the findings by the research questions and themes. SLO 1.5. Compose the Discussion Chapter that will include appropriate content-based literature, conclusions, implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research. SLO 1.6. Produce the Manuscript Preparation documents that will include a clearly written paper, list of references, informed consent letter, interview protocol, observation protocol, and archival data (if applicable), and coded transcribed data.

CLO 2. Deconstruct the characteristics of qualitative research.

At the end of this module, students will be able to:

SLO 2.1. Use evidence from the textbooks and other resources to construct a written narrative, which includes the characteristics of qualitative research. Focus on each of the following areas in the written narrative:  Definition of qualitative research,  Natural setting,  Role of the researcher,  Multiple methods,  Meaning and meaning making,  Reflexivity, and  Inductive method.

CLO 3. Evaluate qualitative research articles comprised of different approaches. At the end of this module, students will be able to:

SLO 3.1. Identify and analyze research articles based on different research methods and standards of adequacy. Address items I and II below.

I. Select three journal articles, which will include one of the qualitative research methods below. o A specific type of phenomenological research (i.e., Interpretative, Transcendental, or Hermeneutic research type) o A narrative inquiry, ethnography, or auto- ethnography qualitative research approach o A case study qualitative research approach or grounded theory qualitative research approach (single or multiple) o A basic qualitative research method

6 II. Identify and describe the author’s description of each of the

7 following areas. If the information appears inadequate, what could the authors have done differently? o Purpose of the Study and Research Questions o Conceptual and/or theoretical framework o Methods Section (site selection, sampling criteria, unit of analysis (the case, a program, individuals) qualitative reliability and validity issues (i.e., trustworthiness, dependability, peer member debriefing, audit trial, credibility, confirmatory, triangulation). o Data collection methods employed. Were these methods appropriate and adequate? Why or why not? o Data analysis methods employed. Were these methods appropriate and adequate? Why or why not? o Findings. What counted as evidence for the findings? o Conclusions. What specific findings supported the author’s conclusions?

CLO 4. Collect data by using multiple qualitative gathering tools.

At the end of this module, students will be able to:

SLO 4.1. Compose interview questions based on the research questions, purpose of study, and the qualitative design selected for the research study. SLO 4.2. Conduct five semi-structured interviews with participants in the natural setting, no telephone interviews. SLO 4.3. Use three different qualitative gathering methods (i.e., observing directly, interviewing in depth, and analyzing documents and materials) to collect data for the research project.

CLO 5. Employ several methods of coding and analyzing qualitative data.

At the end of this module, students will be able to:

SLO 5.1. Use detailed line-by-line initial coding of the interview transcripts. SLO 5.2. Use axial and selective coding of the interview transcripts. SLO 5.3. Write several memos related to coding process and data. SLO 5.4. Use a computer program (e.g. MAXQDA 2018) for qualitative data analysis to code your data (Optional).

CLO 6. Articulate ethical issues related to qualitative research.

At the end of this module, students will be able to:

SLO 6.1. Identify where in the process of qualitative research ethical issues may occur.

8 SLO 6.2. Describe the types of ethical issues that may occur in the process of qualitative research. SLO 6.3. Discuss how to address the ethical issues that may occur in the process of qualitative research.

CLO 7. Examine the defining features of the five qualitative research approaches to inquiry.

At the end of this module, students will be able to:

SLO 7.1. Justify the selection of one of the five qualitative research approaches along with the appropriate research design for your study.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Minimal Technical Skills Needed You will be expected to learn how to use the new D2L Learning Management System, Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint. Some of the assignments require you to make a virtual presentation with a variety of graphics designs and the use of audio. You will have the option of learning to use a computer-based qualitative data- analysis software program.

Instructional Methods This qualitative research course is fully online. The course content is in the learning modules in D2L. Each module contains lecture notes, videos, supplementary resources, assignments, discussion topics, Q&A spaces. The course schedule includes the due dates, which are available to you on the first day of the course. The instructor’s conception of culturally and linguistically responsive teaching is grounded in constructivist views of learning (National Research Council, 2000). From this perspective, learners will use their prior knowledge and beliefs to make sense of the new ideas and experiences they encounter in the course. Subsequently, the instructor will support students' learning by helping them build bridges between what they already know about qualitative research and what they need to learn about this type of research.

9 The instructor designed this online course so that learner-learner, learner-content, and learner-instructor interactions will occur frequently. In this graduate-level course, the instructor expects quality work from each student supported by adequate preparation and engagement. All students will be provided an opportunity to acquire the appropriate knowledge, skills, and ethical considerations needed to conduct and publish qualitative research.

Student Responsibilities or Tips for Success in the Course

The instructor expects students to regularly access and engage in the course. Weekly announcements will be posted to help them accomplish the objectives of the course. Students are responsible for the amount of commitment and effort they put into reading all course materials, viewing the videos/websites, and completing assignments and discussion threads in a timely manner.

Overview of Learning Activities (Assignments)

 Journal Submission Guidelines (5% of total grade)

Each student will locate a peer-reviewed journal that accepts qualitative research manuscripts. S/he will not be required to submit the article written in this course to the journal. However, s/he must submit the journal submission guidelines.

 IRB Protocol and Supporting Consent Forms (10% of total grade)

Each student will complete a mock IRB protocol. Each student must have each participant sign a consent form and obtain a signed site letter before approval will be granted to conduct the research study. S/he will not be required to submit the IRB protocol, site letter, and consent letter to the University IRB Committee. This project is a course assignment and will not be presented or published. However, if you plan to present or publish this data, you will be required to complete both CITI courses and go through the University IRB process as well as your district.

 Qualitative Research Proposal (10% of total grade)

Each student will first take notes on their Qualitative Project Planners and use the compiled information in this organizer to complete a Qualitative Research Proposal. The information in the proposal will assist the student in writing the final research paper. Each student will use information from the textbooks and peer-reviewed journal articles to complete the planner and research proposal. S/he will not include personal opinions in the planner or research proposal. A title page and list of references should be included for the Qualitative Research Proposal.

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 Qualitative Research Project (Study)

Each student will conduct a qualitative study using one of the five qualitative

11 research approaches. S/he will develop an interview protocol with five to seven interview questions. Five semi-structured, in-depth interviews will be conducted in the natural setting. The interviews are to be auto-recorded. The length of each interview should be from 60-90 minutes. Each student will transcribe the data. In addition, s/he will use one other qualitative data gathering technique to collect data (i.e., demographics questionnaire, observation form, or archival data).

For the Qualitative Research Project (Study) assignment, each student will submit the following documents: --five signed letters of informed consent, --signed site letter --transcriptions of the five audio-taped interviews, and --all copies of administered demographics questionnaires, completed observation forms, and/or tables/charts of reviewed archival data as applicable to the study.

 Data Coding and Analytic Memo Writing (10% of total grade)

Each student will use initial coding, axial coding, and selective coding to analyze the five transcriptions and archival data. In addition, s/he will write three brief analytic memos describing the codes, categories, and themes generated. In addition, s/he will include information in the memos related to emergent patterns, categories, themes, and assertions. The first analytic memo should be written at the beginning of the data collection. The second analytic memo should be written during the middle of the data collection period. The third analytic memo should be written at the end of the data collection period. The computer- assisted qualitative data analysis MAXQDA software has a memo manager where memos can be written and tagged electronically while data are coded.

For this assignment, each student will submit the following documents: --three analytic memos, written at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the data collection period, respectively, and --coded data (interview transcriptions and at least one other form of collected data) on which the memos are based.

 Qualitative Research Paper/Article (15% of total grade) Students will write an article-length paper (21-25 pages) with a title page, an abstract, references, and appendices. Occasionally, journal editors will ask for submissions of less than the length required for this course. In that instance, students would follow the course length requirement. The students will adhere to the following requirements in writing the paper:

The Qualitative Paper will include 21-25 pages with an abstract, title page, references, and appendices. The body of the paper will have the following parts:

12 o Introduction to the Study 1-2 pages o Review of the Literature 5-6 pages o Methods 2 pages o Data Collection 2 pages o Data Analysis 5-6 pages o Findings/Conclusions 3-4 pages o Recommendations for further research 2 pages o Summary 1 page

For this paper, you should use APA format, including 12-point Times New Roman font and one-inch margins. Do not include excessive quotations, and do not include long ones. Use headings and subheadings to help with the flow of writing. Use pseudonyms rather than the names of actual participants. Remove all names and identifiers from interview questions and transcribed interview responses. Include the following supporting documents with this paper as appendices: copies of all protocols (Interview Protocol, Demographics Questionnaire Protocol, Observation Protocol, and/or Review of Archival Data Protocol).

 Narrative Paper (5% of the total grade) Students will construct a narrative paper that includes a description of the characteristics of qualitative research. They will address each of the following areas: o Definition of qualitative research o Natural setting o Role of the researcher o Multiple methods of data collection o Reflexivity o Inductive method o Holistic account

For this narrative paper, you should use APA format, including 12-point Times New Roman font and one-inch margins. Use headings and subheadings. The required length for this paper is two pages (this page length does not include the title page and references).

 Journal Article Critiques (15% of the total grade)

Students will analyze three qualitative, primary source, peer reviewed journal articles that address qualitative studies using different approaches (basic qualitative, phenomenology, narrative, ethnography, and qualitative case study or grounded theory research). The required length for each critique is at least two pages (this page length does not include the title page and references page). Students should not merely summarize the articles.

13 For these assignments, students will analyze the authors’ descriptions of the following:

o Research purpose and research questions – How were the research questions aligned to the purpose of the study and the research problem? o The conceptual framework (CF) or theoretical framework (TF) – How did the authors construct the CF or TF? o Methods- How were the sampling criteria, site selection, and unit of analysis described? o Data analysis-How did the authors use the data analysis techniques to code the data? o Findings-What was one of the findings? How did the authors organize the findings? o Conclusions-What was one conclusion drawn from the findings? How were the conclusions organized?

For these journal article critiques and all writing assignments, please use APA format, which includes 12-point Times New Roman font and one-inch margins. The required length for this paper is two pages (this page length does not include the title page and references). You should use headings and subheadings to help with the flow of the content.

 Mid-Term Exam (10% of the total grade)

 Final Exam/PowerPoint Presentation with voice over and graphics (10% of the total grade)

Each student will design a 15-minute PowerPoint with voice over and graphics to present his or her research paper. Creativity is encouraged. Each slide should have one topic and include three bullets. There is a limit of 10 slides for this presentation.

Students should add